


Jealousy Is the Ugliest Trait (Don’t Ever Do It)

by JustSomeoneUnordinary



Series: Tumblr Prompts [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emphasis on 'most' tho, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Multi, Nope those last two tags are no mistake - you're getting both. Seperately, Pining, Team as Family, They're all sharing one single brain cell and Rhodey has it most of the time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:27:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29475456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustSomeoneUnordinary/pseuds/JustSomeoneUnordinary
Summary: Jim doesn't know what he did to deserve having to deal with Tony and Bucky’s bickering. But whatever it is, he’s fed up with it.(He’s not yet aware that he is part of the equation, too. Feelings, well, those are always a tricky thing—even for Jim.)
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/James "Rhodey" Rhodes, James "Bucky" Barnes/James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark
Series: Tumblr Prompts [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2065590
Comments: 8
Kudos: 90





	Jealousy Is the Ugliest Trait (Don’t Ever Do It)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was “No, I don’t like them. They are too loud and obnoxious and I think that thing they do with their hands when they’re nervous is dumb.”
> 
> You can read my own version in German [here](https://www.fanfiktion.de/s/602c258b000103bc244504a7/1/Jealousy-Is-the-Ugliest-Trait-Don-t-Ever-Do-It-).

49 is a perfect age to die, Jim decides. Sure, he would’ve liked to make it to 50 at least, but he has flown 138 combat missions and fought alongside the Avengers as War Machine and came back alive every time, so he can’t complain.

On the other hand…

“—and you won’t believe what that one-armed bastard told me then—”

… why die when he could just kill Tony instead and solve all his problems at once? The temptation to get that knife out of the drawer (a gift from Bucky—unusual but useful) is there.

“For fucks sake, _Tony_. It’s three AM! Shut up and go to sleep!”

It doesn’t have the desired effect— _of course_ it doesn’t. The day Tony fucking Stark listens to anyone ever, hell will freeze all over. His respect for Pepper and her saint-like patience grows daily.

“Aw, Honeybear, you know I get all hot when you growl at me like that.”

_“Tony.”_

“All right, all right! Scoot over, I can’t sleep when you take the whole bed for yourself.”

Jim should protest. He should definitely protest and tell Tony to go to his own damn bed, because this one is _his_ —but he doesn’t. Instead, he makes room for Tony and lets him cuddle him from behind because Tony is secretly a koala in human-form who takes any opportunity he gets to cling onto Jim as if his life depends on it.

Jim would be lying if he said he didn’t like it. Feeling Tony’s breath on his skin and listening to his heartbeat steadies him. Reminds him that Tony is here and alive and not lost in the desert anymore. It helps a great deal.

But just when Jim is about to fall asleep—

“Listen, I really need to tell you what Barnes told me.”

—his mind wanders again to that knife in the drawer. The loud thump that follows as he kicks Tony out of his bed puts a very satisfied grin on his face.

* * *

To everyone else’s surprise, Jim genuinely likes Bucky. The guy came out of 70 years of being brainwashed and used as a murder puppet, a thousand of issues dragging him down the line, and yet found a way to look forward and live his life the best way possible.

He’s funny and sassy and curious about everything. He’s a terrific story-teller and his first name is James, so he’s a good guy by default.

Oh, and he knows all the juicy Captain America details which he loves to share greatly over a round of beer.

Jim kept his distance first when Bucky newly joined the Avengers, being constantly aware of what the Winter Soldier had done. He will never forget the night in December 1991 when Tony called him, drunk and sobbing, telling him his parents had died in a car accident. Won’t forget how he rushed to Tony, ignoring all the speed limits, only to find him passed out on the kitchen floor—empty bottles of whiskey scattered around him.

So yes, Jim kept his distance in the beginning and used to shoot him warning looks should Bucky even _dare_ to make a wrong move.

But then, whenever Tony complained about Bucky, he did about every single thing he could find a complaint about—never about the murder of his parents though. And that was an obvious sign that Tony had forgiven him.

Hell, he even started working on Bucky’s arm which are the only moments those two spend in a room without shouting at each other. So how could Jim stay mad while Tony had already moved on?

He learned to know the real Bucky Barnes and he can’t deny that he likes him.

Whenever Bucky tells him stories about tiny Steve and how he tended to come home decorated with bruises, yet with determination in his expression, all Jim can think of is how Tony used to get injuries in the MIT labs but no matter what, first and foremost showed him with pride what he invented, before even thinking about taking care of his wounds.

Tony and Bucky should by all means be friends. They both flirt like breathing, know to out-snark one another, have a profound understanding for each other’s trauma and Bucky loves science—Tony _is_ science. It should be a match made in heaven.

And the thing is, Jim _knows_ they _do_ like each other. Every time they end up in another shouting match, the sexual tension is so thick in the air, Jim needs to get out of the room to breathe freely again. So it simply doesn’t make sense—there are obviously feelings involved. Lust, at very least, is. 

“No, I don’t like Tony,” Bucky denies. He usually knows better than to rant at him about Tony, but sometimes when they talk to each other for long periods of time, Bucky forgets himself. So Jim dared to speak his thoughts out loud this time. He should’ve known better.

“He’s too loud and obnoxious and I think that thing he does with his hands when he’s nervous is dumb.”

Jim has never heard a dumber explanation in his life. The way Bucky’s cheeks redden as he quickly drinks from his beer bottle, looking everywhere but at Jim, is testament to Bucky’s awareness of his weak arguments as well.

This _thing_ that Tony does with his hands when he’s nervous is nothing but a twitch in his fingers, when he’s about to grab his sunglasses, so he can hide his true emotions behind those. The fact that Bucky even noticed it means he must’ve observed Tony for quite a while.

‘Not liking him’ Jim’s beautiful firm ass.

* * *

“God damnit Barnes, can’t you _not_ break your arm in a mission for once?! Have you any idea how valuable those parts are and how time-consuming to fix them?!”

“Fuck you, Stark. What do you wan’ from me? To get killed just so your precious arm won’t get broken?”

“That is _not_ what I—”

Jim buries his face in his hands and lets out a deep, frustrated groan, regretting every single decision in his life. He really deserves better than having to deal with that.

Why can’t those two just fuck it out and get along already?

* * *

“It’s because he’s jealous,” Wanda slides next to him on the sofa, and it’s only thanks to Jim’s training that he doesn’t even bat an eye, because _where the hell did she suddenly come from?_ He’s used to that kind of thing from the resident spies but not from her.

The way her eyes glint knowingly is proof that she’s spent too much time with Clint. Jim sighs. Why couldn’t she choose Sam as her mentor? Or at least Natasha? Just the thought of a Clint 2.0 causes him a headache—and he’s best friends with Tony Stark.

“Who is jealous of what?”

“Tony of all the time you spend with Bucky together, of course.”

Jim blinks. Wanda just uses her telekinetic powers to get an apple from the kitchen and bites into it with no care for Jim’s confusion.

“Oh, and Bucky is jealous of the thing you and Tony have, but he can’t let his anger out on you, because it’s impossible to be angry at you—everyone likes you—so instead he lets it out on Tony.”

Jim blinks again. He doesn’t think he has ever blinked this much in his life before. “The thing—you mean best friends? Bucky has that with Steve already, I’m not sure why he should be jealous of anything.”

Wanda just snorts. “I mean the romance between you and Tony, _duh_.”

Did she… did she just use _‘duh’_ at him? He really needs to keep her away from Clint. Then, it dawns on him what she just said and he almost gets whiplash from how fast his head turns. _“Romance?!”_

This time it’s Wanda who blinks at him. She stops mid-chewing, her eyes going wide and shrieks, “Oh my god! I have to tell the others!” With that she leaves the common living room again, all giddy and giggling.

Jim can do nothing but watch her go, a furrow between his brows.

* * *

Romance?

* * *

Jim doesn’t wake when Tony lays into his bed in the middle of the night after binge-inventing once again—mainly because he never managed to fall asleep in first place.

“Don’t you have an own bed?”

Tony’s flinch is sign enough that he didn’t expect Jim to be awake. “Yes, but yours is more comfortable.”

Which is bullshit, because Tony’s bed is _king-size_. “Then buy yourself the same one.”

Tony puffs. “Can’t. It won’t have you in it.”

And that… that is something, isn’t it? That is _more_ than something. Jim thinks of all the times Tony came to him during their MIT days to cuddle in bed with him, and still does today, thinks of all the pet names Tony affectionately calls him with, thinks of the way Tony beams every single time he looks at Jim—as if he’s hung the moon.

And he thinks how he didn’t have a relationship for years now, simply because he didn’t want anyone close to his life. Closer than Tony, that is. Thinks of the bittersweet feeling when he saw Pepper and Tony kiss for the first time. Thinks of the little flash of relief when they broke up again. Thinks of the warmth he feels when Tony clings on him like the man-koala that he is.

Jim thinks he might’ve been an idiot for a long time now.

He refuses to stay one though. So he turns, strokes carefully Tony’s cheek and says, “I’m going to kiss you now.”

He waits a few seconds for a rejection and after none comes, he does as promised. There is a quiet gasp Tony lets out, but before Jim knows it, he’s being straddled and kissed back.

And _damn_ —Tony kisses like he talks: fast, passionate and with purpose. The purpose is undoubtedly to get his dick hard as fast as possible. It works efficiently too. His senses are being invaded by the smell of metal and motor oil, the tase of coffee and the rising heat wherever Tony touches him.

Jim could easily get used to this feeling.

“Fucking finally!” Tony exclaims after they part, which… _what?_ “I can’t believe it took 30 years of calling you Honeybear, sitting in your lap every given opportunity, sleeping in your bed and telling you that I love you almost daily for you to finally get the hint. I even gave you an armor, Rhodey, I honestly don’t know how much more forward I could’ve been in my advances. Not to mention—”

Jim shuts him up with another kiss which turns out to be quite an effective method. He really should’ve done this earlier.

When Tony’s hand slowly wanders down his pants, Jim knows he won’t get any sleep tonight.

* * *

Romance, huh? All right then.

* * *

But here’s the thing: even though Jim and Tony are a _romance_ now, the UST between Tony and Bucky is still undeniable.

Anyone who doesn’t know them would certainly think they truly hate each other. The words they throw at one another are sharp and cutting, and being in the middle of yet another of their fights is not a pleasant position at all. But Jim _does_ know them—both of them.

Tony doesn’t even attempt to put his sunglasses on so he could hide behind a wall of colorful shades. His fingers don’t twitch and he doesn’t frown either.

Bucky doesn’t hold his metal arm with the other hand as he usually does when he’s afraid he might hurt someone, and his shoulders aren’t hunched, but relaxed.

They both might be spitting poisonous words at each other, but neither body language speaks in any form of discomfort. Their eyes are fixated on the other pair and there’s a certain… heat in them. As if they wouldn’t want nothing more than rip each other’s clothes off but refuse to admit such an urge.

Jim has been an idiot for 30 years. He won’t let that happen again.

“You two should just kiss already.”

The following silence is almost deafening. And yeah, maybe he should’ve tackled this issue with a bit more finesse, but if he wanted _finesse_ , he would’ve called Pepper first. So, head-on it is.

“What.” The flat tone Tony delivers it would be almost amusing, if Jim wasn’t so keen to be done with it once and for all.

“Tones, everyone knows that’s what you both secretly want and that your fights are just a weird form of aggressive mating-dance. I know it, the rest of the team knows it, our villains know it—even the Guardians knows it and those guys are dense as fuck.

“So please, just get over with it and spare us any more cat fights.” And then Jim does a very dirty move: he shoves Tony directly into Bucky’s arms.

Jim expects them to protest more, maybe even throw some insults at him, but in the flash of a second, they go from scowling at him to literally jumping at each other—Tony’s hands buried in Bucky’s hair and Bucky’s hands kneading Tony’s ass.

Jim holds his breath and waits for the punch in his guts or at least a pinch of jealousy—instead he only feels contentment. They both look good together, wrapped in each other’s arms, Bucky groaning as Tony pulls his hair and _oh_ , that is something that needs further investigation. Jim feels his pants tighten, especially when they part and Tony shoots him a heated look.

“Your turn,” Tony grins.

“Huh?” Jim lost count at how many times he had blinked in confusion this week and that irritates him more than what Tony just suggested.

Tony’s grin just widens. “Platypus, you know I’m all for sharing!”

Which is not the point at all. While Jim likes Bucky—very much so—he doesn’t like him like _that_.

But then again, just three days ago he thought the same about Tony as well, didn’t he? Jim is way too old for this mess, so he simply grabs Bucky—who _dares_ to wink at him cheekily, tracing his lips with his tongue, rasping “hi doll” as if Jim was a lady from the 40s—by his shirt and pulls him in a kiss.

It’s… it’s nice. Fuck, it’s better than nice. Bucky’s lips are soft, tasting of that grape juice he loves to drink, and while the kiss is chaste, those hands pulling him closer certainly are not. Jim’s pants tighten even more at that.

When Tony hugs him from behind and starts nibbing on his neck, Jim thinks he could get used to this just as well.

* * *

Two weeks later everything seems to be perfect. Tony and Bucky resolved their issues, Jim doesn’t have to split his time between those two anymore because they’re all Happy and in a Romance—capital letters because according to Clint it’s disgusting—and the sex is the best Jim has ever had.

Well, it _should_ be perfect and it almost is. But four days ago, Bucky and Tony came to the conclusion that riling each other up is a _great_ form of foreplay.

Jim wishes he wasn’t attracted to two fucking idiots—deliberately ignoring the fact that he’s one himself sometimes too. It’s about the principle.

**Author's Note:**

> You can reblog this on tumblr [here](https://justsomeoneunordinary.tumblr.com/post/629836349215850496/no-i-dont-like-them-they-are-too-loud-and).


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